Beet-harvester



T. H. DOLLING.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLxcATioN FILED DEc.23,1919.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' T. H. DOLUNG.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPUcATloN FILED DEc.23, 1919.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

3 SHEETS- SHEET 2L @woe/Moz I Illl l m i] HW m.. o n fw, v. 10.1 4 W, S @w www Qmw m@ T. H. DOLLNG.

BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED DEC.23V1 l99.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

s SHEETSAHEET a.

.g wmmtoz l T i jjfazzz'f@ m GMM/nwo 'i'THomAs H. DoLLING, or La JUNTA, comme.

Y Specification of Letters Patent.

i Y Application nleaneeember 23,1919. :serial Nt. 346,882. e

To aZZ t/tom tmay concern:

Be itjknown vthat I,.THoMAs H. DoLLING,

i a citizeny of. the United States, `residing at La Junta, in the county of Oterol and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters;

1 -iand I'do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such aswillenableothers skilledv in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same. j..

My invention relates toA beet harvesting machines in general' andthe present disclo-` sure is directed more particularly.v to an at tachment for beet diggers of well known construction.v f'

tion.

One object ofthepinvention to provide an extremely simpley and 1neXpens1ve,-yet a highly eiiicient and reliable means 'for 1 grip-y ping thebeets asthey are loosenedfby adigger, and carrying them rearwardlyto toppmg mechanism,this carrying and gripping means consisting-of` anl endless driven chain ofnovel form uponwhich opposed beet grippers are mounted, together `with ywheels* around which the chain is trained, and means on the chain to strike the wheels and open the beet grippers against the tension of springs which normally close them.

With the foregoing in view,'the inventionresidesv in the novel construction and arrangement of parts heremafter descrlbed and claimed, vthe descriptive matter being supplemented by the vaccompanying draw# igure 1 is a side elevation partlyin secn Fig;:2 is substantially al central` vertical longitudinal section.` i

' and conveying means.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailjvertical: sections rn the planes ofthelines 4-4 and 5-5 of ig..3. i

Fig. 6is a plan'vievvl of part o'f the endless chainupon' which the@ .beet grippers are mounted, showing said grippers and parts of their operating means in section on the plane ofline 6 6' offFig. 3.

In ythe drawings above briefly described I have shown my in ventionv attached to a ycommon form of beet digger which consists of a frame 1 having supporting wheels 2 and carrying beet digging plows 3.v

lThe frame 4 of my attachment is shown `means for the latter,

` claimed.

Fig. 3 is ak substantially central. section' through the front: end of the "beet grippingV could' be employed for` establishing this connecti'on.

Wheelsrv '6 frame 4, utilized to equal advantage.

Similarly I have shown 'caster vfor supporting `the rear end of Spaced a suitable distance behind the front" end of therframe 4, is a transverse shaft .7 mounted insuitable bearingscarried by said frame, said'shaft being driven by asprocket chain 8, and sprockets they wheelsl 2, or other vadequatedriving. means maybe employed for said shaft. Suitable bars `12'are pivotally mounted' at their" rear ends on the shaft wheel A13 at their front ends,

adjustable hanger 14. v'Another wheel 15 is secured on the shaft 7 behind the Wheel y13, and an endless chain"l 16is trained around thetwo wheels, said `chain carrying opposed beet grippers 17. The specific construction of the chain, the grippers and the operating in Figs. 3 to 6, to which attention is directed more particularly in the following. It will be understood however that the specific details described need not be followed too closely, but that other: structuresV may lbey used withinl the scope of the Ainvention'vas 9 fromA the axlelljof p is shown most clearly PATENT olv-*FICF-,fA

Patented Aug. 3Q, '1921.A

but other adequate means could be 7 and carrya and these bars may be raised and lowered as desired` by an Chain 16 consists of two linked side members 18 connected by tie rods 19, and each side :member carries a plurality of L-shaped brackets 2O'andv 21.

The" alternate brackets i 20V are mounted on the ends of the rods 19 While* the intervening brackets 21 are se- '-curedby bolts or the like 22 to the links of the side members 18. The inwardly eX- tending arms of the'brackets carry `longituj i dinal bolts 23 upon which theinnerjend's of0 the grippers- 17 are pivotally mounted, said" other ends are pivotally'attached to operat-'l levers 27 which are lfulcrumed on thetie and coil springs 24 for closing them' 1n rods l19. Spacingl sleeves 28 may well surv vround these rods between the levers 27 and the brackets 2O in order to hold the former properly centered. The action of the springs ,leave roller' 13, the springs 24 again close said,

24 normally moves the grippers 17 inwardly to the positon disclosed in F ig. 4 and the operating levers 27 extend inwardly from the chain 16 as seen in F ig. 3. As this chain travels around the lower wheel 13, the levers "grippers around the beets so that the latter are carried upwardly and rearwardly to endless belt conveyers29 which carry them to Va pair of rotary topping cutters 30.

" Inord'er to prevent outward movementY of "the links 25 suiiiciently to position them on dead center, the free ends of thelevers 27 are preferably provided with stops 31 adapted `to strike the Vtie rods 19 or thespacing sleeves 28,;as shown clearly in Fig. 3,

ings 34upon a transverse shaft 35.V The, front ends of the beams 33 are connected byA vertical links 41 with crank arms42 on a rock shaft 43 mountedtransversely onY the '.The endless belt conveyors 29 are trained around rontand rear wheels 32 mounted on the ends of a pair of longitudinal beams 33 whose rearrends Aare hung by suitable bear# frame and byv means of a lever 44, link E445 and crank arm 46,A saidvshait 43 be i rocked at will to properly adjust the belts 29 with respect to the grippers17 for beets of various sizes, so that as said ygrippers release the beets, they vwill be ejfectively i gripped Vbetween the belts 29 and carried rearwardly to the topping cutters 30. By

means of a pawl and ratchet mechanism 47,. the lever 44 may be locked against movement after 'proper adjustment of the The 4,attachment may be Vadapted to numerous forms of digging machines and ladjusted to meet requirements. The conveying and gripping `meansp1617 vmay be ,properly set bythe adjustable hangers 14 so that the grippers will engage'- the beets loosened bythe plows 3, said grippers car-` rying4 the beets rearwardly until their release levers 27 strike the rear wheel 15.

WVhen this takes place,the opposed grippers 444 is moved to properly set the belts 29 withA are spread and 'when this occurs the endless belt conveyers 29 receive the beets there-V between and convey them rearwardly to Athe cutters 30. Vhenever necessary, the `lever respect to thegrippers 17.

The machine is of comparatively simple and inexpensive nature and is highly eiiicient 'and desirable infevery way, and since piobablyrthe best results may be obtained dfrom the details shown, they may well be followed. I wish it understood however that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may be made as occasion may dictate. F or instance, any adequate driving meansmay be used for the several moving4 parts and I am not therefore restricted to the arrangement shown.

I claim: Y w Y 1. In a machine of the class described, an endless driven chain, wheels around which said chain is trained,-opposed spring-closed beetgrippers mounted on said chain, toggle links connecting the opposed grippers, actu-V ating links connected at one end with said toggle links, and operating levers fulcrumed on said chain for swinging longitudinally thereof, saidlevers being connected with said actuating links and normally ex-` tending inwardly romthe. chain tostrike one of said wheels, whereby to actuate said links lto spread said-grippers.

2; In amachine of the class described, an endlessvchain consistingof linked side members and spacing rods extendingbetween` them, wheels around which said :chain -is trained,l spring-closed beet grippers pivotcd on saidv side members kior swinging tran'singV said grippers, actuating links connected to vsaid, toggle links, and operating levers Vfulcriiined onrsaid spacing rods and connected, with said actuating links,`1said levers normally extending inwardly from thechain to strike and be actuated by one of said wheels, whereby to spread the grippers.

.3. A structure asspecified `in claim 2,'

vversely of said chain, toggle links connecteach lever having' a portion to strike the" ward movement of such lever. 4 i Y 4. In a ,machine ofthe ,class described, an endless chain consisting of linked side memnext adjacent spacing rod and limit the out-f.'

bers and .spacing rods Aextending'betaiveen 1them, L-shaped brackets spaced alongsaid vside members, alternate .brackets ,being mounted on the ends of saidtie rods `while l the intervening bracketsare secured to the links of thefchain, bolts extending longitudinally fof the chain y*and carriedby said brackets, beet grippers mounted on said bolts, and means for operating said grippers.V In testimony whereof I have hereunto set i' my hand. Y

rrHoMAs ii. DoLLiivGQ iio` 

